Dogfish Head drops by Westmont, NJ's Pour House

Last night my wife and I wanted to celebrate our first year of wedded bliss by going out and relaxing at one of our favorite places.  While quite a few popped into our heads, the clear winner this eve was the Pour House, about fifteen minutes away from South Philly over in Westmont, NJ.

We love the Pour House because it is truly a place that perfectly combines beer with great food in a casual atmosphere. Giving a quick check to their website (which was updated this very morning), they currently have 20 different beers on draught and the different bottles they carry seem nearly endless.  The Pour House menu consists primarily of standard bar fare like sandwiches, burgers and wings but just like they declare on their website "only better," and I couldn't agree more.

This, however isn't a food review so be sure to look for one (with delicious photo accompaniment) in the coming weeks.

On this night, as we saddled up to the bar we were greeted by one Nick Vitalo, a Dogfish Head regional representative who had set up shop right next to us.  What he was doing on this night was infusing the Dogfish Head Namaste (Witbier) and Saison du Buff  (Saison/Farmhouse Ale) with various herbs, fruits, veggies and spices...and passing them around for free tastings!

The key to the event was Dogfish's patented Randall Jr. infusion canisters, which allow for surprisingly intense, full body infusions in a relatively short amount of time; think literally 5-10 minutes.  Nick was equipped with four of these darling little devices and along with his arsenal of infusion ingredients concocted mad scientist-like mixtures ranging from basil, cucumber & mint to honey comb, cinnamon stick & maraschino cherries both using Namaste as the primary beer. 

People would pass us by commenting on how I had the best seat in the house and I just couldn't deny it.  When you're out on your wedding anniversary with the person you love the most, at one of your favorite eateries and you're flanked by an awesome craft beer rep. that keeps passing you one delicious infusion after another...yeah, it certainly is a good night.

I'd like to say a thanks to all involved, from the folks we were chatting with, to Nick from Dogfish Head and the gang that make Pour House a great place to continue visiting.  I had a great time and really appreciate the free swag.  Yeah peeps, I was the receiver of a couple Dogfish Head pint glasses and a couple key chain bottle openers. The only thing that could have capped this evening was winning the lottery.

Perhaps I'll play on wedding anniversary #2.

Getting the VIP treatment at Xfinity Live!

Indeed, another piece in a continuing series about my quest to experience everything the new Xfinity Live! complex in South Philly has to offer.  Hell, I may even ride the PBR Bar & Grill's mechanical bull soon!

Last night I went out with my pal and frequent hanger outer Johnny C to watch the debacle that ended up being Game 4 of the Flyers/Penguins first round playoff series.  Out destination to watch the game was Xfinity Live, specifically their VIP section, to which we each purchased $99 entry passes.

This isn't something I ever do and with the place so new, many people told me to keep them in the loop to let'em know how it was for that kind of cash.  In a word, the overall VIP experience was fantastic!

For the entry fee we were offered a 2-hours of buffet-style eats consisting of such manly hits as wings, cheese steaks, roast beef sandwiches and pizza. 3-hours of open bar were also included and for someone that is a notorious vodka drinker, this was heaven made physical.  Though the Grey Goose was certainly flowing, I opted to relax with the sugary sweet Pinnacle Gummy (gotta love Swedish fish taste!) on the rocks.  There was a pretty comparable selection of bottled beer up for offering and as mentioned, harder liquor was readily available and included. The only thing I really didn't notice was wine.  That isn't to say they didn't have any in the VIP area, but we were there for a sporting event and despite all the women in attendance, it just wasn't a wine type of crowd.

I had two nice-sized plates from the buffet and have zero complaints about the food. It was exactly the type of liquor-sopping, got-the-munchies,l "I'm off the diet tonight" deliciousness you'd expect when talking about various types of cooked meat sandwiches in Philly.  I'd have gone back for a little more, but a few trays of very soft, insanely good chocolate chip cookies were brought out and that was the end for me.  I think I ate nearly 10 of those things!

The VIP area itself had plenty of seating and on this night was two-levels (the bartender told me that it wasn't always up and downstairs, though always up); downstairs VIP was where you could be in the scene and get that feeling of everyone staring at you while you did your "cooler than them" thing.  Upstairs was where my buddy and I hung and the bar was readily available the entire duration of the eve.  I think I may have waited a minute when I needed a drink, never any longer.  The same couldn't be said for the downstairs which, even though I didn't grab a drink down there, was much more close quarters and busy than the second level ever was.

Second floor of VIP also had it's own restroom, which isn't the case for most/all of the restaurants in the Xfinity Live! complex. If you're in Spectrum Grill and nature calls, you'll have to exit the venue and hit a corridor that  leads to a restroom (think how it is done in casinos).  So that was nice too, being able to walk mere feet in the same room and not have to worry about over-crowding on a crazy sports night.  Also a part of the second floor VIP was what I'd have to call the "uber-VIP" area where your local famous people hung.  On this night was word of Eagle Jeremy Maclin being spotted, among others. This area was blocked off by a house of a male bouncer/security guard so there was no sneaking in and harassing the talent.

All of the staff worked their asses off.  The bartenders were excellent and always courteous, taking time to chat up attendees whenever they could.  If a patron dropped anything or deposited a plate/glass somewhere it didn't belong, someone was there to cart it off almost instantly.  When one over-exuberant female tossed back a shot and then vomited right after, staff was right there to clean everything up; so quickly that I missed the whole scene (dammit!) and it happened five feet to the right of me.

Finally, I'd be a terrible writer if I didn't mention the view. For sports, there is nothing better than a packed house and the view from the second floor was just unbelievable and totally the clincher for making you feel like you were totally somewhere special.  Treat yourself to their VIP experience and cheer for your favorite Philly team, or just go there and hang out simply because you love the energy and the scene  Enough words.  Here is a photo or few:

A discourse upon my Spectrum Grill dinner course

On Friday night a good friend and I made plans to hang out over at the new Xfinity Live! complex in South Philly.  We did a mini crawl through the various bars, coming through most impressed with the Broad Street Bullies Pub's happy hour selection which was ALL draft beers were half-price.  Gotta say, nothing like getting a tasty pint of Guinness for $3!

Our dining destination was the Spectrum Grill - also in the same complex - which was the higher end of the...pardon my pun, spectrum in terms of food offerings.  Billed as the "crown jewel of Xfinity Live!" and featuring steaks, chops and seafood, I didn't know what to expect since I tended to hit Center City eateries for this sort of fare; almost never South Philly.

We walked in and scoped the place out, instantly liking the relaxing atmosphere it instantly provided.  Dimmer lighting and slower music than the rest of the offerings at the complex, Spectrum Grill has the looks of a place you bring someone you wish to impress.  It has classy, yet minimal sport motif which should be a given since the restaurant is themed to grounds former structural inhabitant and former "America's Showplace."

The bar was empty with the exception of an older couple seated to the far left so we swiped a couple seats and proceeded to order drinks.  (Note: I sat directly in front of some old Spectrum newspapers that had been processed into the bar's counter top. C'mon, I'm not going to sit in front of Frank Sinatra clippings?)  Two female bartenders aided in quenching our thirst and chatted my buddy and I up, which was cool because we like getting to know staff in places that we liked and this looked to potentially be a new one to add to the list.

After looking over their menu a time or two I decided on an appetizer of "Bone Marrow 3 Ways," and an entree' of "Kennett Square Wild Mushroom Ravioli,"  which my friend told me was  no-brainer that he knew I'd order.  He got a big ole juicy-looking steak and some other things but I'm keeping this short and to MY food only.  I promise to have another review (photo heavy) of the place soon with other menu items.

TWO of the three ways. Couldn't resist!

Anyhow...my bone marrow appetizer arrived and instantly, I was in love with the place.  Dare I say that no restaurant in Philly that I know of does a bone marrow dish of this size, beauty or deliciousness? I've ordered marrow in at least three other places and the bone that housed the meaty heaven tended to be rather small and hard to maneuver into.  Not so on the centerpiece of the dish, which isolated each of the three tastings into their own little areas.  There was a truffled leek custard, a miso glazed bone that'd make my dog insanely jealous with me and finally my favorite, a Kobe slider topped with a perfectly cooked quail egg.  OH MY GOD!

I dove right into that custard, that was tasty but ended up being my third favorite on the dish. Easily using my fork, I dug out the marrow from it's home in that miso glazed bone and it was nothing short of heavenly. I didn't even need the small crispy crackers that came along with it but the combination of their crunch along with the creaminess of what I'll simply call meat butter was just texturally out of this world. But the best was yet to come for me in the form of that little egg-topped slider that was marrow and American Kobe along with bacon between the meat and egg.  I could have ate at least five of them and though I may have died from it, my belly would have gone out very happy.

On came my wild mushroom ravioli and I was surprised to find them arriving in a tomato sauce.  Typically they'll be accompanied by a pesto or even an Alfredo, so this was a first for me.  The acidity of that red sauce worked as the perfect counterbalance to those soft pillow-like ravioli.  It was a pretty sizable portion too, but never stood a chance with me.  Just like my appetizer, I'd order this dish multiple times.

 Of note on the food that I didn't eat and my buddy did was their chocolate lava cake dessert that he'd gotten along with a vanilla gelato.  Had I any room this eve (I honestly wasn't starved) I'd have gotten that sucker.

Ah, but so much to look forward to in other visits to the Spectrum Grill.  Friends, Philadelphians, total strangers...I couldn't recommend this place more right now.  The food was great, service was awesome and no matter how packed Xfinity Live is at the moment, this place is still a hidden gem that offers a quiet respite and cool atmosphere.

See ya there!

The 2012 Philles: A glance at the Pitching Staff

Last week I blogged about the Phillies lineup and my concerns, so here I am with the second and final installment of the spring training look at my hometown team.  Today we look over the pitching staff and while some of this will be really easy, it isn't the cakewalk that most people are in the belief.

I know, I know.  Teams all over MLB would like to have Roy "Doc" Halladay or Cliff Lee or Cole Hamels or even Johnathan Papelbon and we're immensely lucky to have them all on the same team.  But what about those four and five spots in the rotation? Who is going to get us to our new $50 million dollar closer?

Lets start with the good first.  I mean, we Phillies fans do have much to be happy about in terms of the pitching anyways.

ROY HALLADAY

The anchor and the man who truly paces the rest of the pitching staff. Doc has legitimized the Phillies pitching from the second he arrived here in the off-season of 2009.  His relentless competitive attitude has inspired everyone from fellow ace Cole Hamels to the marginally talented Kyle Kendrick. He makes people around him want to be better and leads them quietly by example.

Each year the man is a candidate for 20 wins and the Cy Young award and that was even so when he was on perennial AL East cellar-dweller the Toronto Blue Jays.  Barring injury (something that hasn't occurred since 2005)  Halladay will go out there every five days and give the Phillies their best chance to win a game.

CLIFF LEE

The staff Zen master in terms of keeping the pressure of the world at bay.  Whereas Halladay is infinitely competitive, Lee calmly heads out to the pitching mound seeming like he is about to pitch a backyard baseball game.  This isn't said to be a slight in any way, shape or form.  These are two aces who couldn't be more far apart in terms of how they approach a game, that's all.

Yeah, me may have momentarily pissed off the city of Philadelphia last post season by coughing up a four run lead in the playoffs, but I'm still in the belief that Cliff can get it done when it counts most. Another candidate for 20 wins and the Cy Young, Lee will follow Doc's lead and go out there every fifth day.  He has averaged just over 30 starts each of the last three seasons and has avoided any major injury.

COLE HAMELS

The bad news is that as of this writing, Cole still hasn't managed to agree with Phillies brass on a long-term deal.  Until he does, we've got him for the duration of 2012 and that is it.  So at least until the end of the season or a contract extension announcement, Cole will be our third ace and pitch over 30 games this season for the team just like he has on average for his entire career.

Hamels is an interesting one because we're still awaiting a career season out of the 28-year old.His last two seasons have been really nice but the team just doesn't seem to get the wins for Hamels. As a result, he has yet to win more than 15 games in a season and the only time he reached that number was back in 2007.  Playing in a "contract year" makes me believe that somehow, someway, Cole will put it all together and have luck on his side to finally reach (and exceed) the 15 win plateau.  Maybe he'll even be in the running for the second straight year for the Cy Young.

All I want is for my favorite Phillies pitcher to find a way to agree on a long-term deal because it isn't nearly as simple as fans want to believe. You see the status of their offense. Having THREE pitchers making $20 million a year or more just doesn't leave all that much free cash to get hitters.

VANCE WORLEY

Yes, I'm placing him ahead of the rest of the pack and will continue to do so until either someone else unseats him or the "Vanimal" gets hit with the sophomore jinx.

The 24-year old third round draft pick came out of nowhere last season to grab 11 wins (against just 3 losses) and nearly stuck out a batter per inning on the season.  Critics and commentators city and country-wide keep ragging on the kid for not having amazing stuff and that batters will eventually catch up to him and that may be so.  But until they do, there is no reason to hold a kid back by making him out to be a one-season wonder.

Worley has great composure and never seems to get rattled on the mound. He has a great group of teammates to learn from on this staff and managed a cult-like fan following in his full-season debut. Double-digit wins are in order again...and I'll go out on a limb and say that Vance'll have a higher K-count than 2011 too.

JOE BLANTON

I'll keep this one short and sweet because I haven't been into Blanton from day 1.

All I keep hearing is that Joe is an "innings eater" and I just fail to believe that we don't have someone in the system that can do exactly what Blanton does at about a tenth of his ridiculous $10.5 million dollars he'll make in 2012. 

Don't forget that this "innings eater" coughs up runs like nobody's business on this staff, never having an ERA under 4.05 in his Phillies career.  You're telling me a pitcher who gives up that many runs and never even got a complete game over the past 4 seasons is not only worthy of being in the rotation, but no one can supplant him?

I realize the Phillies are somewhat stuck with Blanton, but this is just a player we don't need and payroll that'd really help elsewhere. I can't wait until he is gone this season (he'll be a free agent at the end of the baseball year) and Phillies brass can use that cash more productively.  Hell, give me Kyle Kendrick as the little engine that could in the fifth spot of the rotation.  Give me anyone but "Fat Joe" Blanton.

THE BULLPEN

We've got some worries here.  Currently, Mike Stutes is injured, as is 100-year old Cuban Jose Contreras. 2011 Phillie phenom Antonio Bastardo hasn't looked great this spring and his velocity is slightly down.  It is early yet so as long as Bastardo is still pitching, I've got faith he'll round into form. With a name like his in Philly, you just can't help but want to love the guy.

The signing of retread Chad Qualls and the holding over of Rule 5 pickup David Herndon will be the bullpen equals to Joe Blanton but I'll personally dislike them less than I do Joe.  Herndon doesn't display anything that excites me as someone coming from the pen. He'll likely alternate with Qualls for those middling innings to either mop up on rare days we're blown out, or the 40+K strong at CBP will cross their fingers and hope they can hold down a lead for Papelbon.

Speaking of our new closer...

I need to finally get my head around Jonathan Papelbon being in Phillies pinstripes.  I don't dislike the guy; his stats show him as much better than we could have had with Ryan Madson (especially at this point).  But...he was a Red Sox player.  I just can't get hyped to root for someone who played on the BoSox for his whole of his seven previous seasons.  Oh, I know I'll come around because everything points to Papelbon being a real hammer at the end of the game. 

What I'd love to see in the bullpen is that we end up keeping a youngster or two.  We don't know who'll make the team as of this moment and young guns like Justin De Fratus and Phillippe Aumont are still on the roster. Inexperienced? Oh absolutely but you know who else was last season?  How about Atlanta Braves fireballers Craig Kimbrel and Johnny Venters?

You just never know with young pitchers.  You could have the next two studs of your relief corps already on the roster...or they could end up imploding and at worst, they're sent down anyway and the Phils gets stuck looking through all the players cut from the spring training rosters.  If they keep piling on the injuries, that may happen anyway.

I'd still rather have this staff more than any other staff here in the National League.  Sorry there Davy Johnson...your Washington Nationals top three pitchers probably couldn't even hold Doc or Lee's jocks.  Perhaps someday though.  Just not in 2012.

Happy Birthday Harry

Believe it or not, three years have passed since we've last heard "The Voice" here Philadelphia. Had he still been alive and well, Harry Kalas would have been 76 years old yesterday (March 26th).

I thought I should just call a little attention to that, nothing grandiose.  But I'm sure that my friends and fellow Philadelphians will instantly hear his voice in their heads now that I've pointed this out.

 What better way to remember the man on his special day than to think of his most special of talents?  Take a second and think of your favorite Kalas moment. Wikipedia even listed some of his more memorable calls, just in case you'd like a refresher. Check out YouTube and hear the man himself.

But whatever you do...take a second and remember Harry Kalas.  I know it won't be hard.  Raise up a Gin and Tonic (his favorite) and wish the man a happiest of birthdays.

We all miss ya buddy!

Chris Hemsworth Powers Into 2012 Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

Star of  THOR, THE AVENGERS, and SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN To Headline Event at Pennsylvania Convention Center June 2

NEW YORK and PHILADELPHIA, March 19, 2012 – Millions of fans flocked to theaters to see him as the God of Thunder in the blockbuster film THOR last summer and are eagerly anticipating his next potential hit Marvel movie, THE AVENGERS, in the spring. This June, they can meet Chris Hemsworth as he headlines Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, June 2, where he will sign autographs, pose for Photo Ops and greet well-wishers.

One of Hollywood's fastest-risers, Hemsworth was first introduced to US audiences in STAR TREK, which led to his starring role in THOR, which grossed nearly a half billion dollars worldwide. In addition to THE AVENGERS, releasing nationwide on May 4, just a month prior to his appearance in Philadelphia, This summer Hemsworth will also star as the ‘Huntsman’ in Universal’s big revisionist fairy tale SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, opposite Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart. Also set for 2012 releases, Hemsworth will star in Dan Bradley's remake of RED DAWN in the role originated by Patrick Swayze and in Joss Whedon's THE CABIN IN THE WOODS.

“Chris Hemsworth has captivated audiences across the world, and he will be an immense hit at Philadelphia Comic Con,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World Board of Directors. “He is, in short, a Hollywood superstar and we're ecstatic that he will help make this the best show we have ever had in Philadelphia.”

VIP tickets are available now for fans who want to secure their opportunity to meet Hemsworth at the event.

Philadelphia Comic Con returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, May 31 – June 3, featuring dozens of celebrity guests, hundreds of superstar artists, industry professionals, dealer booths and more. The event, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

For more on the 2012 Philadelphia Comic Con, visit
http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/home-pa.html

About Wizard World:

Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworldcomiccon.com.

***** SAVE THE 2012 DATES *****
April 14-15 – Toronto Comic Con
June 1-3 – Philadelphia Comic Con
August 9-12 – Chicago Comic Con
September 29-30 – Mid-Ohio Comic Con
October 26-28 – Austin Comic Con
TBD 2013 – New Orleans Comic Con

The 2012 Phillies: A Season to Cheer or a Season to Fear?

 With word coming out of the Twitter-verse and then hitting the rest of the web about Chase Utley's shot knees this week, I thought this would be as good a time as any to do my breakdown of the 2012 edition of my favorite sports  team, the Philadelphia Phillies.  We'll go position by position and then hit the benches for whomever may be notable and into the news mix.

CATCHER:

Carlos Ruiz anchors the pitching staff first and foremost and when  you've got as many studs as this staff does, that should be the most important from the team's receiver.  His knowledge with how to handle guys like Roy Halladay to Kyle Kendrick and set game plans with them for the opposing teams is becoming the stuff of legend in the city and "Chooch" has become pretty beloved by fans as well as his teammates.

That said, he isn't relied on for hitting as much as other team's catchers are.  This isn't to say that he is a terrible hitter, because he certainly isn't, but it isn't what keeps him in the line up.  It helps that he always seems to come up with a clutch hit and that his average the last few years has averaged almost .290.

Ruiz is healthy and will likely come out and get the Phils somewhere near 50 RBI, remaining a pesky lower order hitter.  He is one area of the team that I'm comfortable with and knowing that he isn't brittle helps.  Until we have some sure fire catching prospect that can hit bombs, Chooch is our man and we're happy with him.

FIRST BASE:

Ryan Howard is still healing from that final swing of the bat in 2011's post-season where he severely injured his Achilles.  There was a spring training setback in which the injury became infected and to this day he is still in a walking boot, but he is insisting on a May target date for his arrival back to the line up.  

If that is the case and there are no more mishaps, I'm fine with Howard and first base.  He isn't known as an injury prone player with the lowest game played total in the last six years being 143.  I'm in the belief that Ryan would like to make up for his past two post seasons since he was the final at bat in both.  People are going to write the big man off because of that combined with the injury and the fact that the last time he hit 40 or more home runs was 2009.  

Howard is set to make $20 million this year and in order for him to deliver, the "Big Piece" is going  to have to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100+ RBI.  Those are fair numbers considering the time he'll miss due to injury.  If he produces like I'm saying and how he is capable of, the giant contract extension doesn't seem so bad.  But if this is a down year or a year lost due to recurring injury complications, I fear that the Big Piece may become the "big problem" since he'll be due around $125 million over the next possible 6 years (there is a club option for 2017).


SECOND BASE:


This is where I've got to be frank. Chase Utley needs to go. On a team that is the second oldest (next to the Yankees) in the league, the last thing we need is a 33-year old with two bum knees manning second base and batting in the top third of our line up.  This is a man who is due almost $16 million this year and if his stats even slightly amount to more than what he did last year, he isn't worth HALF of that.  


For those who don't know, we've been treated to a repeat of last spring in regard to Chase and his achy-breaky knees.  He was scheduled to get into a game this week but alas, his body isn't responding well and he'll need to see a specialist back up north.  Last year he missed almost 50 games and when he came back, he was a shell of the player he used to be.  This is a player whose numbers have declined across the board for the last FOUR years running. His contract keeps him here in 2013 as well, so this problem is something we're going to have to have next year too.  


His knees aren't getting better. Utley may have been a really good second baseman for the early part of has career, but now all he is doing is taking money out of the pockets of the people who won't be able to afford to replace him with a comparative player.  When will he play this season?  Will he play at all?  Will 22-year old Freddy Galvis be able to fill in adequately despite never having played in the majors?  I get a headache every time someone mentions Utley to me and this migraine isn't going away at least for another full year.

 THIRD BASE:

Another position that has cause for concern as Placido Polanco has missed at least 30 games in each of his two seasons in returning to Philly.  Already this spring he has jammed a finger and was forced to sit out.  After having surgery for a double sports hernia and already having troubles in previous seasons from his back, abdomen and elbow, how much can Polonco truly be counted on for?  Yes, he did manage to win a Gold Glove for fielding in 2011, but at 36 how much range can a banged up body have? 


Polanco has never had power and never had 80 RBI.  A career .301 hitter, he was almost thirty points below that in 2011. With his contract set to expire when the season is over, could some sort of upgrade be made during the season that may swap him out?  How nice would the Mets' David Wright look in Phillies pinstripes? 

 SHORTSTOP:

It gets a little scary when you're talking about Jimmy Rollins as being the most healthy infielder you've got, but that is what he is for the Phillies.  Jimmy missed 20 games last season and still nearly racked up 600 plate appearances.  He'll be 34 this year and while clearly on the downside of his career, Rollins is still stylin' on the base paths.  

I'd like him to score more than 2011's 87 runs, but I'll take most of the same numbers from last year and be happy.  It seems reasonable for Jimmy to hit 15 home runs and drive in about 60.  A banner season would have our usually in the leadoff hitter scoring about 110 runs and stealing 40 bases, something that he hasn't done in the same season since 2007.

Rollins is due for an up-turn kind of season after signing a shiny new 3-year $33 million dollar contract. We still don't know if he'll retire as a Phillie, but we've got our most vocal clubhouse leader and best potential Hall of Fame candidate a little while longer.


OUTFIELD:

Lets get the doom and gloom out of the way first.  At the end of the 2012 season as of this second, both Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino will become free agents.  Also as of right now, while John Mayberry is the lead dog to man left-field, we really don't know if he'll be there by the end of the year so potentially, the Phillies could have need of an entirely new outfield after this season depending on signings.

But that is later.

For now, we've got right-fielder Hunter Pence primed for his best season and I can conservatively say that if he is healthy the whole year (which the outfield for the Phillies tends to be) Pence should casually post 28 home-runs, 100 RBI and a .300 average. He'll be the main man in the lineup early on with so many other starters injured, which will place him as the likely cleanup hitter and  think Hunter'll do just fine this year.

Hopefully not too fine that he'll jack his price up and have to leave, especially since....

Shane Victorino wants to stay a Phillie for the rest of his career.  While that is awesome, the problem comes with him wanting a pretty hefty contract rumored to be in the area of 5-year deal that'd have to net him in ups of $60+ million.

It'd be tough not to re-up with Shane considering he has been one of, if not THE most consistent player on the team since he became a starter in 2006. He has been relatively injury-free and has put up consistent star (not super-star) numbers year in and out and on a team with such a fluttering offense, his day in day out appearance in the lineup card is a big deal.

John Mayberry will need to produce just like he did last year, if not better, in order to really stabilize left-field. This is a big man who is about to hit the prime of his career and it'd be so incredible to have the next "Jayson Werth" added to the batting order.  Like Werth, Mayberry was looked upon as more or less a failed first round draft pick but something about coming to the Phillies has helped these players turn it around.  In 104 games last season Mayberry hit 15 homeruns, had 49 RBI and 8 steals. It seems reasonable that even a slight improvement and playing a full season will net him 20-25 homeruns and 70-85 RBI.  How nice would that be if John's adjustments at the plate last season were real and he is ready to take this next step?  It'd be a wight lifted off the shoulders of Pence and a sigh of relief for Mayberry to know that he'll have finally cemented himself as a bonafide major leaguer.


BENCH:

Jim Thome is a great re-aquisition.  Though I'm a little worried he may injure himself while attempting to play the field once a week, I think he is an awesome hitter to have available off the bench.  I have confidence in Thome coming to the plate late in games with a win potentially on the line.  When we're playing inter-league, who better to have as a DH?  With more playing time, this is still a player (41 years old!) projected out to hit about 30 homeruns last season. I'll take him over Wilson Valdez and Miguel Cairo any day. Especially because...
It seems that Freddy Galvis is now ready to begin his major league career. The slick fielding 22-year old is presently leading the team in RBI during spring training and his bat is what had worried Phillies brass the most.  Yes, it is early but the kid seems ready and I tend to be someone who likes giving youth a chance.  If Galvis can hit at all (c'mon .250 or better average!) while subbing in for old man Utley, he may toss a positive monkey wrench into this franchise at second base. Yes, I'm still trash talking Chase!!!!  If Galvis can play and somehow, some way we can recoup some of Utley's $$$ we could land a third baseman *cough* insert David Wright mention again *cough*.

As for players like Ty Wigginton and Lance Nix, the less I see of them the better that means our Phillies are playing.  Same goes for Michael Martinez, but since he is currently in a walking boot after getting hit on the foot by a pitch, we're not seeing him for a little while any way. 

OVERALL:

I like the Phillies' position players, I really do...honest!  But the fact remains that if you're in this city and watching them every day like I am, you pick out the faults much easier.  I have no problem saying that I wouldn't want to be ANY other team in the National League, but the Phils aren't perfect.  We're going to need that rotation to stand on its head this year and maybe serve up two 20-game winners.

If Howard comes back and Polanco remains fairly healthy and Galvis can hit and Mayberry is finally the real deal...we could be better than we're already believing we are.  That is a lot of "ifs"  but then again, they do play 162 games so we'll see.

UP NEXT:

I'll be scribbling my thoughts about the Phillies rotation and bullpen. Coming real soon!